Speaking of tantalizing-as-hell long shots, we have Oklahoma City! I did a little number on this scenario for the Hardwood Knocks podcast, and, well, let's just say Thunder fans weren't on board with this scale of timeline acceleration.
Kudos to team president Sam Presti for convincing the people who matter most to buy into the long-term vision. But the Thunder are good enough now to prioritize both the immediate and bigger pictures. They also just so happen to have the assets and salary-matching tools to construct a competitive package while keeping Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams and Lu Dort.
That's the benefit of housing a kabillion future first-round picks. Oklahoma City could probably even escape talks without losing Josh Giddey—though, the incumbent surplus of guards does suggest he and/or Cason Wallace must be shipped out.
Mouths everywhere should be foaming at the formation of an SGA-Lillard duo. SGA craved more breathing room last season on his change-of-speed-and-angles drives, even if he didn't always show it. The extra spacing he'll get from both Lillard and Holmgren dotting the arc is horrific news for 29 other teams tasked with defending the finished product.
It's not just SGA who benefits, either. The abruptness of Jalen Williams and oft-discombobulated Dort drives would receive a nice bump amid more runway. Holmgren himself will have more room to roll and, equally paramount, test his floor game.
Meanwhile, I'm not sure there's a team more equipped to protect Lillard on the other end. Oklahoma City has enough depth to surround him with three plus defenders at all times. In fact, I'd wager oodles of money that a lineup featuring SGA, Lillard, Dort, J-Dub and Holmgren would rank among the top two-way units in the entire league—and, frankly, punch the Thunder's ticket to instant title contention.
